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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25388257">Three Down</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madrose_writing/pseuds/madrose_writing'>madrose_writing</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempted Murder, Attempted Suicide, Dark Magic, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hermione Wins, Hermione is a badass, Hermione makes Tom Jealous, Horcrux Tom - Freeform, Loss of Virginity, Outdoor Sex, Slytherin's Locket, Tom Riddle is His Own Warning, Tomione Bingo, Violence, tomione - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:07:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,995</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25388257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madrose_writing/pseuds/madrose_writing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with shadows. Little flickers of something in her periphery that drew her attention from time to time. She chalked it up to general fear from being on the run. Especially after escaping the Ministry and having to move from one place to the next every few nights. But when the sight of a man standing just on the outskirts of her wards made her panic, she could no longer ignore it.</p><p>The first time she saw him, she nearly called out for Harry on Ron, but there was something about the way he watched her that gave her pause. Instead, she just watched him back; clutching her wand tight to her chest. It wasn't long before she put two and two together and realized who he was. Tom Riddle. He was nothing more than the piece of Voldemort's soul preserved in the locket just as Harry had told her about the one from the diary. She had drawn the conclusion by realizing she only saw him when she wore the Horcrux.</p><p>He was like a constant shadow; always following. Always out of reach.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>186</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tomione Trope Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Three Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written for Tomione Trope Bingo 2020, hosted by the Tomione Fanfic group on Facebook. Make sure you go to the collection to see the rest of the entries!</p><p>The tropes I used were: Hermione falls for Horcrux Tom / Tom is beautiful (hello Tom Hughes) / Hermione makes Tom jealous / Suspicious or unhelpful Dumbledore (always...) / Monster-fucking Voldemort / Hermione wins</p><p>I am on TikTok as madrose_writing so if you plan on sharing my content in any way, PLEASE TAG ME!</p><p>*currently I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION to have this or any of my fics bound.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>Three Down</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>It started with shadows. Little flickers of something in her periphery that drew her attention from time to time. She chalked it up to general fear from being on the run. Especially after escaping the Ministry and having to move from one place to the next every few nights. But when the sight of a man standing just on the outskirts of her wards made her panic, she could no longer ignore it.</p><p>The first time she saw him, she nearly called out for Harry on Ron, but there was something about the way he watched her that gave her pause. Instead, she just watched him back; clutching her wand tight to her chest. It wasn't long before she put two and two together and realized who he was. Tom Riddle. He was nothing more than the piece of Voldemort's soul preserved in the locket just as Harry had told her about the one from the diary. She had drawn the conclusion by realizing she only saw him when she wore the Horcrux.</p><p>He was like a constant shadow; always following. Always out of reach.</p><p>Then Ron left and her world had turned upside down. Her emotions were all over the place as she sat outside the tent. She was wearing the locket more; splitting the time equally with Harry. She refused to let him be the only one to have that burden.</p><p>One night, while drowning in her betrayal and loss, she noticed that he had gotten closer. Her anger spiked and before she knew what she was doing, she was stalking towards him; wand tight in her grip. He didn't react save for the flash of intrigue in his eyes and the slight tilt of his lips.</p><p>"You cannot hurt me," he taunted as she raised her wand at him.</p><p>"Not yet."</p><p>His smile wavered ever so slightly, making her feel a rush of triumph.</p><p>"You think yourself so righteous," he said, taking a step forward. She was surprised at the sound of leaves and twigs crunching beneath his feet. "I have seen inside your mind, Hermione Granger." He stopped before her and leaned in, his breath warming her ear and making her shiver as he whispered, "I know you."</p><p>She stumbled back, blinking at the suddenly empty space before her.</p><p>Hermione hadn't intended on approaching him again. Not after the state of conflict he had left her in. But night after night, he was there. He was watching her from the trees of wherever she had taken her and Harry or in her dreams. No matter what, so long as the locket hung around her neck, he was there; impossible to ignore.</p><p>One night, with Harry finally asleep, she gave in and sought him out again. "Whatever it is you think you know about me, you're wrong."</p><p>His brow quirked; a smirk tugging at his lips. "So you have not considered using my own magic against me? Have not laid awake at night debating the morals of tapping into dark magic?" He began to move, circling around her in slow, calculated steps. He stopped at her back and she shivered at the heat of him from his proximity. "In your dreams, you look for me."</p><p>"I don't," she argued, embarrassed by the shake to her voice.</p><p>He pressed himself against her back. The cold air stung as she inhaled sharply at the feel of him. He reached around; his arm snaking up so his fingers could wrap around the locket nestled between her breasts. "Do you dream of me even on the nights he wears this?"</p><p>She did.</p><p>The hum he made, however, signaled that he already knew that. "Do you dream of my demise or is it something else?"</p><p>"I do <em>not </em>dream of you," she insisted.</p><p>"No?" The silken edge of his voice made her tremble more. As did the feel of his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he whispered, "I can hear you at night."</p><p>Hermione stilled in his arms at that. Her breath caught in her throat and when she exhaled, she could see how shaky it was as it caused smoke in the cool air.</p><p>"My name has graced your lips many a time, Miss Granger," he said, slowly letting go of the locket. Her head fell back against his shoulder as his hand fell into place beneath her breast; cupping it gently. "I have heard you moan; seen you writhe beneath your sheets." He hummed again as his finger drifted over her nipple and felt it pebble beneath her clothes. "Is this how you like to be touched?" he asked.</p><p>"Y-yes." The word fell from her lips as though someone else were making her speak.</p><p>"What about this?" he asked, his hand sliding down over her abdomen to the top of her jeans. He didn't stop there, but despite her instincts roaring to life, demanding she run, she stayed. She felt rooted to the spot and bit her lip to stifle a moan as his fingers brushed through her folds. "Is the real thing better than your dreams?"</p><p>Hermione's ability to speak dwindled with each swipe of his finger across her clit. Her heart thundered against her chest so violently she thought it might explode. She whimpered and rolled her hips when he ceased his movement.</p><p>"Answer me," he demanded.</p><p>"<em>Yes</em>," she bit out, nodding her head as her lashes fluttered across her cheek.</p><p>Her answer garnered her two rewards. One was his fingers sliding inside her core and the other was of the verbal variety. Of his silken voice whispering, "Good girl," against her ear nearly made her come right then and there. He groaned low in his throat and buried his nose in her curls, inhaling deeply. "Has anyone ever touched you like this before?"</p><p>She shook her head a moment before the word, "No," fell from her lips. At that, she squeezed her eyes closed and pictured Ron. None of this was real, so it stood to reason that if she concentrated hard enough, she could turn the experience into one she wanted. For a second, it worked. She relaxed against him, imagining her childhood crush at her back, holding her lovingly in her arms. But that bubble of bliss burst quickly as Riddle withdrew his touch and slammed her back against the nearest tree.</p><p>The branches shook causing dead leaves to fall around her feet. His fingers pressed against her throat; not hard enough to cut off her air supply, but enough to get his warning across loud and clear. His fingers were wet with her slick and the feel of it against her skin made her thighs press together in search of the friction he had denied her by pulling away. She stared up at him and found his gaze nearly black as ink. It was a startling contrast from the grey they had been at the start of their conversation.</p><p>"He left you and you still wish he were here."</p><p>Hermione's breath caught in her throat as jealousy flashed in his eyes. That was more unexpected than anything else about their encounter so far.</p><p>He leaned in, resting his forehead over hers. "I will never leave you," he whispered as his hands slid down the sides of her body until they found the fly of her jeans. As he thread the button through the loop and tugged the zipper down, he added, "Even when you think you have seen the last of me," he paused to shove her jeans as well as her knickers off her hips, "I will always be here."</p><p>With the last word he uttered, his fingers slipped back into her core as his mouth slanted over hers; effectively claiming her in every way possible. Hermione closed her eyes and surrendered to him. Convinced it was still just all in her mind, she didn't see the harm in just letting go. The faster he got what he wanted, the faster she could go back to to her watch over the area in peace and quiet.</p><p>So she continued to let him have his way with her. Let him work her over with his fingers until she felt herself break apart into a million pieces. Let him get her clothes off the rest of the way and hoist her up against the tree so she could wrap her legs around his waist. She was surprised by the slight pain that accompanied his cock sliding into her core. It was short lived as the sensation was quickly replaced by more pleasure and before she knew it, he was following her into the abyss.</p><p>When it was over, she dressed in a hurry and returned to the spot she always took up on her watch. She sat there, staring off into the night, watching as the rising sun chased away the darkness. She spent her solitude clearing her mind. Just before she knew Harry would wake, she slipped inside the tent to use the bathroom. It was when she glanced down at her knickers and saw the faint stains of blood on the lining that she realized it wasn't just in her head after all.</p><hr/><p>In the weeks that passed, Hermione's every moment was consumed by Tom Riddle. On the nights she wore the locket, he would beckon her to the edge of the wards and show her the stars. The nights that Harry wore it, Riddle was there, haunting her dreams in a way that left her slick between her thighs when she woke. During the days, whether she wore the locket or not, he was there too. He was never far away; just slightly out of arm's reach. His grey eyes followed her everywhere, waiting to see what she would do. Reminding her of what just one look from him could do to her.</p><p>The man looked nothing like the monster. She could easily see how everyone fell prey to his charms. She hated that she was just another casualty; a pawn for him to toy with. But no matter what she did, with each encounter, she found herself craving the silk of his brown locks beneath her fingers. Or his soft lips against her skin. He was the worst sort of distraction. One that she she didn't need; didn't want, but try as she might, she found herself drawn to him at every turn.</p><p>It had gotten to the point where even Harry had started to notice something was different with her. After several occasions of being snapped at for no reason, Harry had suggested they both take a night off from the locket and get some sleep. With the Horcrux secured in the tent and the wards strengthened, they each sat in an awkward silence, not sure of what to do with themselves.</p><p>She debated asking him whether or not he saw Riddle when he wore the locket, but before she worked up the nerve, he said, "We have to go to Godric's Hollow."</p><p>Hermione looked up from the book Dumbledore had left her and met Harry's gaze. He was pleading with her, wanting to convey just how strongly he felt it was the right thing to do. She took a deep breath and surprised him with a slight nod. "I agree."</p><p>"You do?" he asked, eyebrows skyrocketing.</p><p>She explained the symbol she had found in the book and the reasons she agreed with him. After listening to him say Luna's father had worn the same symbol, Hermione's brow furrowed. Especially when Harry began to spout how Dumbledore would have wanted them to go there too. That he had left clues to point them in that direction all along. She held her tongue. While Harry might have put his blind faith in the old wizard, Hermione had lost hers. He had been largely unhelpful from the beginning. He had hyped Harry up as the chosen one and told him he was important, but he had barely provided anything they could use to carry out his master plan.</p><p>They took the day to prepare themselves and pack things up. Harry took the locket out of the protective charms they had buried it under and slipped it back around his neck. With a quick check to make sure they had everything, Hermione took hold of his hand and Apparated them to Godric's Hollow.</p><hr/><p>While they had made some headway on the symbol, finding it on one of the gravestones, the rest of the excursion to Harry's birthplace could not have gone worse. In her panic to get them away from the snake, his wand had broken. Now they were in the middle of a barren forest with their hopes dashed more than ever before.</p><p>To make matters worse, the moment she slid the chain over her neck, Riddle was there looking angry as ever. She ignored him as best she could, but his temper fanned hers and before she knew it, she and Harry entered a full blown shouting match over who was taking the night watch. In the end, she won, having taken her wand and storming off towards the edges of the wards. He stood outside, fuming for a bit before he took solace inside the tent and stayed there.</p><p>It wasn't long after she was alone outside the Riddle made his move. Hermione had had enough of being pushed around by him; of being blinded by his looks and enthralled by his charm. She was reminded that this was real; that he really could hurt her. Because of him, because of the locket, Voldemort was out there somewhere, trying to kill them. Had she been a second slower with her spellwork, he would have succeeded a few hours earlier.</p><p>As it was, when Riddle reached for her, she used her wand to put up a barrier. He paused just before it and then smirked before stepping through it as though it were nothing but air. Too stunned to do anything else, his hand wrapped around her throat.</p><p>"You should have let the snake have him," he said, tugging her close enough that she could feel his breath fan over her face as he spoke. Slowly, he released her throat; his hand moving so he could bury it in her curls. "Then it could have been just the two of us."</p><p>She saw her breath turn to smoke in the frigid night air as he tugged her head back. Her eyes fluttered closed as he captured her lips with his. Should could feel his rage as he devoured her; in the way he clawed at her clothes while pushing her back against the nearest tree.</p><p>"Don't you want that?" he asked as he slid inside of her with ease; her body wet and ready for the intrusion without much coaxing.</p><p>"N-no," she whispered, wincing as he buried himself deep as he stilled. He lifted his head from her neck and narrowed his eyes at her. "You're a monster. I want nothing to do with you." Her voice trembled as she spoke, but his anger was still feeding into hers and she was tired of keeping those thoughts to herself.</p><p>An eerie calm settled over his features as his eyes flashed red. She watched in horror as his entire look began to change. In the span of one heartbeat to the next, he had gone from the man who charmed his way into her knickers each night to the monster she had spent half her life fighting against. "This is a monster," he murmured, rocking his hips in and out of her, picking up the pace with each thrust. "I could have been different for you. I <em>would </em>have been different," he snapped, grasping her chin when she tried to look away. "For you."</p><p>Fear mixed with her anger, making her tremble. She was close to her release as he continued to grind his pelvis against hers. She wanted it, but not when he looked like that. "O-okay," she whispered, closing her eyes and nearly choking on a moan.</p><p>"Okay what?"</p><p>"Just the two of us."</p><p>He slowed his pace and his grip on her chin loosened a bit. When she opened her eyes again, he had returned to the Riddle she had grown accustomed to. The skip of her heart at the sight of him left her more confused than ever before. She reached up, cupping his face with one hand and brought it down to hers.</p><p>"Just us," she whispered again before sealing the gap between their lips.</p><p>They came together shortly after her declaration. His anger lessened and so did hers, but with it gone, it left her open to other emotions. Ones she had been trying to hide from since the beginning. Ones she felt sick about for allowing them to cross her mind.</p><p>He detached himself from her and they redressed. This time, instead of going to her usual spot outside the tent, she slipped beyond the wards. He followed her just as she knew he would, but she kept walking. It was quite some time later when she finally stopped near a frozen lake. She had her fists clenched at her sides; one of which had a firm grasp of her wand.</p><p>"Killing yourself won't help."</p><p>"I'll be free of you," she bit out without looking at him. Tears began to stream down her face as she took a step forward. She tested the ice before using her wand to slice it open, creating a sizeable hole for her to slip into.</p><p>He stood at her back; so close she could feel the heat of him. "You will never be free of me," he said, arrogance clear in his voice. "Even in death, I will follow you wherever you go, Hermione." She felt his hand at the small of her back. "Because you are mine."</p><p>"I'm not yours," she said firmly. "I'm no one's."</p><p>There was a moment of silence before he said, "I disagree."</p><p>The moment the words left his lips, he pushed her forward until she fell into the lake. The momentum carried her beneath the thick layer of ice. She beat on it relentlessly, regretting her decision immediately. Her efforts were futile and the cold water zapped her energy fairly quickly. As she began to give up, she felt the chain of the locket tighten around her neck and pull her towards the bottom of the lake.</p><p>
  <em>Tell me you belong to me and I will save you.</em>
</p><p>Hermione screamed into the water and saw the bubbles float upwards where they burst against the ice. Harry would be fine without her. He would go on to win this war. War left everyone with demons and burdens to bear, but Hermione's were currently trying to drown her. She wouldn't let them do so any longer than this moment. Her movements slowed and her already compromised vision began to darken further. As her end grew nearer, she felt his anger spike to an all-time high.</p><p><em>Foolish</em> <em>girl</em>.</p><p>As she gave in, ready to greet death like an old friend, she felt herself being pulled towards the surface. Internally, she screamed, not wanting to be saved. She knew the instant she was above the water. The air burned as she gasped for breath. Slowly, despite the numbness to her body, her senses returned, albeit a bit dull. She heard the voices like a distant echo and thought she must have died after all when she recognized the one calling her name sounded like-</p><p>"Ron?"</p><p>"That's it, Mione, wake up!"</p><p>She blinked despite the pain from doing so and saw Ron staring back at her. There were tears of fear in his blue eyes as she stared back at her. "Y-you're here?"</p><p>"I'm so sorry," he whispered, drawing her into his arms and rubbing everywhere he could reach to warm her up. "I tried to come back as soon as I left, but I couldn't find you." He let out a bitter laugh. "I've never truly appreciated your wards until that moment."</p><p>He held her for a moment longer before getting to his feet and drawing her up with him. He aimed his wand at her and cast several warming charms. It was then she noticed something glinting on the snow. "Is that-"</p><p>"The Sword of Gryffindor," he finished with a smile as he bent to pick it up. He handed it to her and she took it from him; the rubies rough against her palm as she gripped it tight. "It was right there next to you at the bottom of the lake."</p><p>"H-how did-"</p><p>"I don't know," he said, reaching for the locket and tugging it off of her. "But I think we should destroy the bloody thing now before our luck runs out."</p><p>She watched with wide eyes as he set the locket on the nearest fallen tree and beckoned her closer. "As soon as I open it, swing the sword."</p><p>"Ron-"</p><p>"It tried to drown you." He shrugged his shoulders. "This one's yours."</p><p>"How are you going to open it?" she asked, her eyes flickering around the clearing for any sign of Riddle.</p><p>Ron cracked another smile as his cheeks turned as red as his hair. "Harry talks in his sleep. Gave me an idea." He beckoned her closer and adjusted her hands on the handle before moving towards the locket again. "Ready?"</p><p>She swallowed hard and gave a nod.</p><p>He whispered what she recognized to be Parseltongue. What he was actually saying, she had now idea, but the second he stopped, the locket sprang open. A plume of dark magic poured out of it; like a cloud of smoke. It thickened the air and singed her nose; turning the night air rancid. She took a step towards the locket, stopping only as Riddle emerged through the smoke; his eyes red as the rubies beneath her palm.</p><p>"The sword isn't strong enough to break through."</p><p>"I know," she said, moving forward. "Not on its own, anyway."</p><p>The smile vanished from his lips immediately.</p><p>"But having absorbed Basilisk venom, I'd say it's the perfect tool." She stood her ground right before him, staring up through her lashes in time to see his anger turn his eyes black.</p><p>When she advanced again, he vanished; turning into the smoke that surrounded her and the locket. The sword was lighter than she expected as it hovered over the piece of jewelry. She took a deep breath and raised her the sword up higher. Her gaze flickered up to Riddle's as he rematerialized on the other side of the log. With a surge of energy, she brought the sword down, watching as it cracked into the Horcrux with a horrifying sound. One that echoed around the forest like a gunshot.</p><p>She lowered the sword and stared at Riddle as the smoke began to dissipate.</p><p>"Three down," she declared, a smile on her lips as she watched him disappear.</p><p>The sudden silence of the forest was deafening. Ron was there, taking the sword from her hand and then reaching for the mangled locket. He handed it to her and after her fingers curled around it, he reached for her other hand and began to walk away from the sight. Hermione couldn't resist one last look over her shoulder before they made their way back to the tent; back to Harry.</p><p>Later that night, after their reunion, Hermione laid down in her bunk and turned towards the wall of the tent. <em>I told you…</em> His voice floated around the recesses of her mind as she lost the battle to stay awake. <em>You belong to </em>me<em>.. </em>He would forever haunt her psyche with the damage he had done. When her eyes finally closed, his grey eyes were there, staring right back at her as a reminder that they might eventually defeat Tom Riddle, but she would never be free of him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am the worst at replying to comments, but I read every single one that comes my way. Just know that your words have put a smile on my face. Thank you!</p><p>Feel free to join/follow me on FB and TikTok @madrose_writing</p><p>If you're interested in my writing outside of fanfiction, you can signup for my newsletter on madrosewriting.com</p></blockquote></div></div>
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